Oil-elotation apparatus



Jan. 16, 1923.

n.-soN'EBRAK-x-3R. OIL FLOTATION APPARATUS.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- FHTED SEPT. 9, 1920.

Jan. 16,1923. y 1,442,306. D. STONEBRAKER.

on FLoTATwN APPARATUS.

FILED SEPT. 9, |920. 3 SHEES-SHEE 2.

Dave lEflrmajmker.

D. STONEBHAKER. o lL FLoTATloN APPARATUS.

,3 SHEETS-SHEEI 3.

FILED SEPT. 9, 1920.

Patented Jan. 16, 1923.

UNITED STATES DAVE STONEBRAKER, OF PARK CITY, UTAH.

Y OIL-FLOTATION APPARATUS.

Application filed September 9, 1920. Serial No. 409,279.

T all /wt'O/m, 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, DAVE STONEBRAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Park City, in the county of Summit and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil-Flotation Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to crude oil or petroleum refining apparatus and the primary object of the invention is to provide an improved means for effectively removing all foreign matter from the oil prior to the distillation thereof. l

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved oil flotation apparatus embodying means for agitating the `crude oil so as to cause the minerals and other foreign substances therein to rise to the top` of the oil with the froth generated by the agitation thereof, and for skimming the froth thus generated from the oil.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved oil flotation apparatus embodying a plurality of tanks arranged in stepped relation, the oil being adapted to flow, by gravity, from one tank to the other, each tank having skimming means arranged therein for skimming the froth generated by flowing of the oil from one tank tothe other, and means for conveying the froth from said skimming means.

A still further object of the invention' is to provide an improved device for removing the impurities from crude oil or petroleum bv flotation process of the above character. which is simple and effective in use, and which can be operated at a minimum cost.

lith these and other objects in view, the

40 invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specifica tion, in which drawings:

Figure i is a vertical longitudinal section through the improved oil flotation apparatus.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the improved oil fiotation apparatus. 4

Figure L is fragmentary vertical transverse section through a lportion of the paratus.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical section through a portion of the apparatus, taken in rear of Figure 4f, and

Figure 6 is a detail transverse section through one of the skiminers utilized for carrying the froth from ofi' of the upper surface of the oil.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A generally indicates the improved oil flotation apparatus, which as shown includes the base or support B, the tanks C, the skimming means D, and the froth conveying means E.

The base or support B may be of any desired size, shape or configuration, best suited for the apparatus, and as shown the same consists of the side pieces or walls 10 and the rear piece or wall 11. The side pieces or walls l() are connected by transverse eX- tending angle braces l2 which also form the supports for the tanks. A v

The tanks C are arranged in stepped relation to each other and there may be as many of these tanks as is desired or practical. As shown there are siX of these tanks, the length and width of which are all practically the same. However, the depth or height of these tanks differ, and it will be seen that the uppermost tank is of the greatest depth or height while the lowermost tank is of the least depth or height. rlhe height of these tanks isl gradually decreased toward the lower end of the base, as clearly shown in Figure vl of the drawings. Each one of the tanks is constructed the same and the side walls thereof may form a part of the side pieces 10 of the frame B or these end walls ofthe tank may be formed separate. The tanks each include a lower wall 13 and a front wall 14, and as shown the front wall 14 of one tank forms the rear wall for the adjacent tank, as this wall is continued downward and below the bottom wall of the tank for which it forms the front wall.

` The oil is poured into the uppermost tank by means of a supply pipe 15 and it will be seen that the oil is supplied to the upper open end of the tank and the oil will be agitated owing to the drop of the oil into the tank. Itvwill be seen that as the crude oil overflows the upper portion of the tank, the same will fall into the next adjacent tank and so on, until all of the tanks are tilled. The lower end of each tank is also provided with pairs of outlet pipes 1.6 which also convey the crude oil from the bottom ofthe tanks to the bottoni of the adjacent tanks.'k

A baffle plate 17 extends transversely across each of the tanks adjacent to and in spaced relation to the front walls of each tank, and these baiiie plates prevent the too forcible flow of oil from one tank to the other. As clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the baille plates 17 terminate short of the bottom walls of the tanks.

T he lowerinost tank has arranged in front thereof a receiving pan 18 which is provided with a relatively largel outlet pipe 19, which is adapted to convey the crude oil to the storage tanks or toV the distillation tanks. This receiving pan 18 also has communication with the lowermost tank by means of outlet pipes 20. Each one of the tanks C has arranged in front thereof, a transversely extending board 21, which prevents the splashing of the oil as the same falls from one tank to the other.

The skimming means D for carrying the froth from oif of the upper surface of the crude oil or petroleum in the tanks C consists yof a transversely extending shaft 22 which is arranged at the upper endr of each tank adjacent to the forward end thereof. Each one of the shafts 22 has secured thereto the skimming blades 23 and it will be seen that these blades 23 extend tangentially from the opposite sides of the shaftrin opposite directions. Each of the skimmer blades 23 are provided with arcuate bases 24 which are arranged at diametric opposite points on the shaft 22 and are connected to the shaft by means of a diametrically extending bolt 25. The skimming blades are so arranged as to just pass by the upper surface of the oil, and are adapted to effectively scrape the folam or froth from the upper surface of the o1 rThe shafts 22 are driven by a line shaft 26 and this line shaft 26 has secured thereto at spaced points bevelled drive pinions 27 which mesh with the bevelled gears 28 carried by the shafts 22. The line shaft 26 may be driven in any suitable manner and is mounted on the base B by means of suitable bearings 29.

The conveying` means E for the froth consists of a plurality of transversely extending troughs 30, which are arranged at the upper end of each tank. These troughs are arranged relatively near the front walls of the tanks and directly in front of the skimming blades 23. These transversely extending troughs 30 are inclined toward Vone side ofthe apparatus and project yinto a longitudinally7 extending .inclined main trough 3l, -which is adapted to extend to, any suitable tank or, other refuse receptacle.

The front Wall of each tank carries inclined guides 32, which extend downwardly from the opposite side walls of the tank toward each other, and forms a funnel for guiding the oil into the tank. These guide plates 32 are arranged between the front walls of the tanks and the splash boards 21.

1t can be seen that as the oil flows from one tank to the other, the same will become thoroughly agitated,.thus forming a thick foam on the upper surface of the oil. This foam will carry the mineral or other foreign substances in the oil to the top thereof, and as the oil in each tank is acted upon by the skimming blades 23, all foreign matter in the oil will be effectively carried off therefrom.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that an improved and simple means has been provided for carrying foreignmatter from crude oil or petroleum by .a flotation process.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention; but,

I claim:`

1. An oil flotation apparatus comprising a plurality of tanks arranged in stepped formation, the depths of said tanks decreasing toward the lowermost tank, means for permitting the liquid to flow from one tank to the other, said flow causing the liquid in each one of the tanks to become agitated. skimming means arranged transversely of each tank for wiping the foam from the upper surface of the tanks. transversely extending troughs arranged to receive the foam from theskimming means, and means for operating said skimming means.

2. An oil flotation apparatus comprising a plurality of superposed tanks, the tanks decreasing in depth toward the lowermost tank, means for permitting the liquid to flow from one tank to the other to cause the agitation of the liquid in said tanks, transversely extending rotatable skimming blades carried by each tank arranged to wipe the accumulating foam oil of the upper surface of the liquid, transversely extending troughs arranged in front of said skimming blades for receiving the foam therefrom, said troughs projecting laterally from one sido of the tanks, and a longitudinally extending trough arranged to receive the laterally projecting ends of the transversely extending troughs.

3. An oil flotation apparatus comprising a` supporting base, a plurality of tanks carried by said base and arranged in stepped formation., means for supplying liquid to the uppermost tank, means for permitting liquid to iiow from onetank-to the other to cause the agitation of said liquid, means for conveying `oil .away from the -lowerinost tank, bae boards arranged in each meer said tanks and terminating short of the lower ends of the tanks, transversely extend ing rotatable skimmer blades carried by each one of the tanks and arranged in rear of and above said baflie boards, transversely extending troughs carried by said battle j boards and arranged in front of said skimming blades, and means for simultaneously rotating said skimmer blades.

4. An oil flotation apparatus comprising a supporting' base, a plurality of tanks arranged in stepped formation carried by said supporting base, the tanks gradually decreasing in depth toward the lowermost tank, a line pipe for feeding liquid to the uppermost tank, means for permitting liquid to overflow to the adjacent tanks, means for conveying liquid from the lowermost tank,

baille plates arranged adjacent and in spaced relation to the front Wall. of the tanks, said battle plates extending substantially flush to the upper edges oit tanks, and terminating shoit of the lower Walls of the tanks, splash boards arranged in front of the front Wall of each one of the tanks, outlet pipes carried by each tank adjacent to the lower end thereof communicating with the upper end of each adjacent tank, rotatable skimnier blades carried by each one of the tanks, transversely extending` troughs arranged in front of said skimming blades, a longitudin nally extending inclined trough receiving one end of the transversely extending troughs7 and means for simultaneously operating all of said rotatable skimmer blades.

DAVE STONEBRAKER. 

